Last year, Monster released the phenomenal Monster Superstar Blaster which brought the concept of the Boombox back. That speaker was nothing short of amazing and now the company has reimagined it with the Monster Superstar RaveBox. The Monster Superstar RaveBox is very closely related to the Monster Superstar Blaster, sharing many of the same traits with it save one, the crazy psychedelic prism attached to the end. The Monster Superstar RaveBox still offers up that massive Monster sound the Blaster does but it adds light to the party. Read on for the full review and see why Monster takes another Techaeris Top Pick award.
Specifications
- Indoor and Outdoor EQ Modes
- Powerful Sound for Large, Open Spaces
- Splash Resistant for Outdoor Use
- Bi-Directional Driver Design with full range drivers in angled 360⁰ orientation
- Down-Firing Integrated Powered Subwoofer
- NFC For Quick Pairing
- USB Charge Out
- 1/8” Aux-In, Microphone Input
- Lifetime Warranty when purchased directly from Monsterproducts.com
- One time, no fault replacement when purchased directly from Monsterproducts.com. If the Blaster has any issues (your fault or theirs) return the product and get a replacement.
- 1-year standard warranty when purchased from authorized dealers.
What’s In The Box
- Monster Superstar RaveBox
- USB Digital audio cable
- Charging brick
Design
With the Blaster from last year, Monster was going for a retro boombox look and achieved what they were going for. This year, that same retro design is back but it adds a nicely integrated party light to the end of it. The RaveBox has a solid build and just like the Blaster, it’s heavy coming in at nearly 17 lbs. Made from metals and plastics, the materials all feel super-premium and super solid.
On one end of the RaveBox, you’ll find your mode button which allows you to switch between indoor and outdoor EQ settings. The NFC pairing pad is also on this end along with the power and volume buttons. The ring around the controls has a nice subtle Monster Superstar RaveBox branding on it.
Jumping over to the opposite end you’ll find the hard plastic party light that does look like it could crack if it took a good enough spill. Still, it’s built pretty solid, I just wouldn’t go thinking this thing is indestructible. At the top of the light is the power button for the light, in case you’re not having a party and just want the sounds.
Finally, on one side of the RaveBox, you’ll find a weather sealed flap that houses all of your inputs. Under this flap, you’ll find the following ports and buttons:
- Reset
- AUX in
- MIC in
- USB charge out
- Power input
- LED power indicator
Overall this is a well-made device in both aesthetics as well as functionality. The wedge-shaped design allows for a 360 degree sound experience but that design also just looks really nice.
Ease of Use
Bluetooth or NFC, connecting is super-simple and should be old-hat to pretty much anyone who’s used Bluetooth speakers in the past. The only different thing here is the light, but the only button controlling the light turns it on and off. Nothing to it.
Sound/Experience
The Monster Superstar RaveBox isn’t any different than the Monster Superstar Blaster in sound, massive and room filling. When I first used the Blaster, I was blown away by the volume and the RaveBox owns that same impressive sound. The sound has a pleasing balance in the mids and highs but in true Monster form, the bass is most certainly favored in the mix. Outdoor mode punches the bass up even more and kicks the loudness up just a bit.
The key feature to the RaveBox that gives it that little extra over the Blaster is that light. The light pulses to the music and changes color, filling the room with a great colorful visual experience — so much fun for parties of all kinds. Having five kids it was loads of fun for not only parties but also just for a break from TV screens. Stream some music through the RaveBox, turn on the lights and watch them dance around for what seems like hours.
Overall the sound is amazing, the Monster Superstar RaveBox is the best large portable (but heavy) Bluetooth speaker I’ve used, adding the party light to it gives it that extra push over the edge.
Reception
Reception is standard Bluetooth range, 30 feet or so depending on the location of the source. Walls, corners all of that will degrade the Bluetooth signal so you may not get the best reception in those cases. Outdoors this thing has a great range, close to 40 feet or so, but you can rest your phone on the nice little area where the handle is.
Battery Life
Monster claims a 12-hour battery life with this speaker. This is going to vary on how loud you have your music, distance from the source, whether or not you’re charging another device, and now lighting. Turning off the lights will save power. I tested with volume around 40% with lights on and got just over 12-hours before I had to recharge the battery.
Price/Value
This isn’t a cheap speaker, but with the added lighting and the already stellar sound, it is worth buying. Retail is $499.95USD but you can find it on Amazon for $429.95USD as of this review. It’s a big investment but I do enjoy the sound Monster has produced with this speaker, it is the best large/portable Bluetooth speaker I’ve used.
Wrap-up
The Monster Superstar RaveBox brings the sound in spades then adds the light show on top of it. If you’re looking for a speaker that adds a little something extra to your parties over and above sound, you’ll want to check out this one from Monster.
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